Changes of resting heart rate in patients with coronary heart disease: One of the evaluating indexes for patient's conditions and prognosis

Aim: To explore the evaluating value of resting heart rate (RHR) on changes of patients condition and functional prognosis in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods: The resting heart rate was measured in 132 patients with CHD proved by coronary angiography. Results: The RHR(times/per minute) in the CHD group(80 ± 7) was quicker than that in the normal control group (70 ± 7) (t = 9.04, P < 0.05). The RHR of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) group (87 ± 6) and unstable angina pectoris group (79 ± 8) were quicker than that of the control group (t = 11.10, P < 0.05; t = 6.46, P < 0.05); the RHR of the multi-vessel stenosis group (83 ± 9) was quicker than those of the single vessel stenosis group (74 ± 9, t = 4.64, P < 0.05) and paired vessel stenosis group (78 ± 10, t = 2.42, P < 0.05); The RHR of the stricture degree of coronary ≥ 85% group (81 ± 9) was quicker than that of < 85% group(71 ± 10) (t = 5.86, P < 0.05). The RHR of the stricture with left main coronary artery or left anterior descending group (84 ± 7) was quicker than that of the stenosis of right main coronary artery and circumflex branch (74 ± 9) (t = 5.69, P < 0.05). The RHR was significantly correlated with the percentage of the left anterior descending stenosis in the AMI group (r = 0.486, P < 0.01). Conclusion: There is a certain relation of resting heart rate with the condition and prognosis of CHD, and it can be regarded as the evaluating index of the patients' condition and prognosis, and the index of rehabilitative intervention.